Separable button



sept. v24, 1935. a W, W, HOLM 2,015,559

SEPARABLE BUTTON Filed May 2l, 1934 w l y /NVENTo/e Mh/0,1% BY m M A TTORNEY Patented Sept. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in separable buttons. It relates to the type in which a cap is detachably mountable on a shank which is adapted for removable insertion into a buttonhole of a garment.

`One of the objects of my invention is to provide a separable button of the kind described in which the cap or head will be held from accidental turning on the shank, and the shank will be held from turning in a button-hole, whereby a marking, such as a letter, word, representation of a ligure, or the like, on the outer side or face of the cap or head of the button, may be presented and retained in positionfor its proper display, and not in an upside down or inverted position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a separable button of the kind described which is simple, cheap to make, durable, not likely to get out of order, and which has novel means for centering and retaining centered the shank in the cap and having novel means for holding the cap from tipping on the shank.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment oi my invention, all the figures are enlarged views, and

Fig. 1 is an elevation looking .at one side of my improved button.

Fig. 2 is a similar View looking at another side of the button. Y

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 5 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. l, looking toward the cap, and the cap in the locking position on the shank.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the shank in the inserting or removing position in the cap.

Fig. 7 is an under view, partly broken away, of the cap removed from the shank.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the shank.

Fig. 9 is a front View, partly broken away, of the button.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the diierent views.A

I designates an enlargement, diametrically, at one end of the button shank, from which enlargement extends a portion 2 which is oblong in cross section, which cross section, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 converges, as in an ellipse, from its iniddle to its ends.

The other end of the shank has a head 3 similar in cross section to the portion 2 to which it is connected by a neck 4, cylindrical in form and having the same diameter as the middle portions of the portion 2 and head 3.

The cap is hollow and is composed of an outer' cup shaped portion 5 in which is reversely tted an inner cup shaped portion 6. The inner edge vI5 of the portion 5 is reversely curved so as to bear against the outer side of the portion 6 and to form an annular peripheral bead 'I, which is in the plane of the inside limit of the cap.

Theinner portion 5 of the cap has a slot 8 10 adapted to receive therethrough the head 3 of the shank, and corresponding substantially in size and shape to said head. At opposite sides respectively of the middle portion of the slot 8, are provided on the inner side of the portion 6 15 two recesses 9, which are adapted to respectively receive the end portions of the head 3 to hold the cap from turning accidentally on the shank.

For releasably holding the head in the recesses 9, there is provided a bow shaped spring 20 IB, the ends of which bear against the inner side of the portion 5, and the central portion of which is flat and registers with the slot 8.

The outer end of thevhead 3 is dat, as shown, and is fitted against the flat middle portion of 25, the spring I0, when the head 3 is inserted into the cap through the slot 8.

' The outer or front side of the portion 5 of the cap is provided with any desired marking as a symbol, such as a letter, word or words, repre- 30. sentation of a ligure or the like, which it is desired to be presented and retained in position for proper display to View, as opposed toan inverted or upside down position. In Fig. 9, the symbol shown is the word Frisco, and in accordance 35. with my invention it is desired to retain the cap in such position that the word will be in the normal horizontal reading position, as shown.

In the garments in which the button would ordinarily be used, the button-holes are usually 40 oblong and horizontal. In Figs. 3 and 4 are shown in dotted lines two overlapping portions I I of a garment, which portions have registering button holes I2 in which is tted the oblong shank portion 2, which is held by the portions I I 45 from turning in the button-holes. By having the marking Frisco in horizontal alinement with the recesses 9 and with the head 3, when the latter is` seated in said recesses, as shown in Fig. 9, the shank, when in the proper position in 50 J the button holes of the garment, will hold the cap in position for proper display of the word Frisco, or such other representation as may be similarly disposed on the face of the cap.

By having the head 3 of substantially the size 55 and form as the slot 8, when the cap is applied to the head 3, the latter will hold the cap properly centered until the head depresses the spring lG and enters the cap, after which, the neck l being of substantially the same diameter as the middle portion of the slot, Will retain the cap centered until the cap is turned to the locking position with the head in the recesses 9, in which it Will be releasably held by the spring il). The iiat end of the head 3 bearing against the flat portion of the spring li] will hold the cap from tilting.

By having the oblong portion 2 of the shank extending to substantially the plane of the rear side of the bead l, when the cap is in the locking position, Fig. 5, the garment through which the shank is inserted is held from any portion getting into the notches at opposite sides of the neck t between the portions 2 and E.

In the application of the button to a garment, the shank portion 2, neck d and head 3 are inserted from the inside through the button hole, or holes, where overlapping portions of the garment are fastened together by the button, after which the cap' is applied to the head 3, the latter being inserted through the slot 3 into the cap against the pressure of the spring i6, and the cap then turned on the shank in a direction such that, when the head 3 enters the recesses 9, the marking, as Frisco will be presented at the front in proper display position. The spring will hold the head releasably in the recesses, so that the cap will be held from turning on the shank, and the shank will be held by the garment from turning in the button-hole or holes. The capi will thus vbe retained in position for properly displaying the marking thereon.

To remove the button, the cap is squeezed toward the shank, thus depressing the spring lo, and moving the head 3 out of the recesses 9, after which the cap may be turned in either direction to the inserting or removing position, Fig. 6, in which the head 3 will register with the slot 8 and can then be Withdrawn therethrough thus releasing the cap from the shank and permitting the removal of the latter from the garment.

Many modications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:-

1. In a separable button, a shank having at one end an enlargement and having a portion oblong in cross section extending from said enlargement and adapted for insertion to one position in a button-hole and held thereby from turning, a cap revoluble to and from a locking position on the other end of said shank and to a position in which it is detachable therefrom, and releasable means for holding said cap in said locking position, said cap having on its outer side a symbol disposed for proper display only when said cap is in said locking position and said shank is in said one position in the button-hole.

2. In a separable button, a shank having at one end an enlargement and having a portion oblong in cross section extending from said enlargement and adapted for insertion to one position in a button-hole and to t and to be held thereby from turning and having adjacent to its other end peripheral notches, a cap revoluble to and from a locking position on said other end of said shank and to a position in which it is detachable therefrom, and when in said locking position extending into said notches, and releasable means for holding said cap in said locking position, said notches, when said cap is in said locking position, being wholly forward of the plane of the rear side of said cap, said cap having on its outer side a symbol disposed for proper display only when said cap is in said locking position and said shank is in said one position in the button-hole.

3. In a separable button, a shank having at one end an enlargement and having a portion oblong in cross section adapted for insertion to one position in a button hole, and having adjacent to its other end peripheral notches, a cap revoluble to and from a locking position on said other end and to a position in Which it is detachable therefrom, and when in said locking position extending into said notches, and releasable means for holding said cap in said locking position, said notches, when said cap is in said locking position being wholly forward of the transverse plane of the rea side of said cap.

4. In a separable button, a hollow cap having an outer portion the rear end part of which is inwardly and forwardly extended to form an annular bead, said cap having an inner portion against the rear side of which said bead bears, said inner portion having an oblong slot at opposite sides of which are two recesses, a flat spring between said portions extending across said slot, and a shank having a portion oblong in cross section with a head at one end and a neck connecting the head and oblong portion, said head being adapted for insertion through said slot and to have its front end, which is flat and wide, compress said flat spring, said head being revoluble in said cap into register with said recesses, into which it is forced and releasably held by said spring, said neck registering with said inner portion when said head is in said cap to permit turning of the head to the locking position, and when said head is in the locking position said neck being wholly forward oi the transverse plane of the rear side of said bead.

WILLIAM W HOLM. 

